HBO renews George RR Martin development deal

HBO has renewed its exclusive development deal with George R.R. Martin, originally signed back in 2013.

The deal continues to give HBO the exclusive right to tap Martin for ideas for new TV shows and movies. These ideas may be based directly on Martin's own works (including further works in the Game of Thrones settings of Westeros and Essos) or on other authors' works which Martin recommends to them.

Martin has already been doing this for seven years, developing Nnedi Okorafor's novel Who Fears Death as a TV show (which is now moving forwards with Tessa Thompson producing and Aïda Mashaka Croal showrunning) and Roger Zelazny's novel Roadmarks (with Kalinda Vazquez showrunning). During this time HBO has considered a number of other projects proposed by Martin, including a potential adaptation of Martin's earlier novel Tuf Voyaging and a number of classic SFF novels (rumoured to be from the likes of Robert Silverberg, Nancy Kress and Robert Heinlein). They also filmed a Game of Thrones spin-off pilot which did not move forwards, before greenlighting the series House of the Dragon, which is due to start shooting imminently.

As well as House of the Dragon, HBO are considering multiple spin-off shows based on Game of Thrones, including Nine Voyages (based on the life story of Corlys Velaryon), Ten Thousand Ships (based on Queen Nymeria's flight to Dorne) and Flea Bottom. They have also proposed series based on the Dunk and Egg novellas and on Robert Baratheon's rebellion, with some reports that one of these series will be adapted as an animated series rather than in live-action.

Martin will be named as a producer or executive producer on these projects, but will not be writing directly for any of them due to his commitment to finishing the next Song of Ice and Fire novel, The Winds of Winter. Martin reported in November making strong progress on the novel through last year, with a hope that the ending may be, if not imminent, then at least lurching unsteadily into distant view.

HBO developing Roger Zelazny's ROADMARKS as a TV show

HBO are developing Roger Zelazny's 1979 novel Roadmarks as a television series.

Kalinda Vazquez (Star Trek: Discovery, Fear the Walking Dead, Once Upon a Time) will be the main showrunner on the project, as well as a writer and executive producer. Vince Gerardis, a producer on Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, will also produce the project.

The project was brought to HBO's attention by George R.R. Martin as part of his long-term development deal with the network, which has also resulted in the long-gestating Who Fears Death, based on Nnedi Okorafor's novel, and Game of Thrones spin-offs The Longest Night (aka Bloodmoon, which was cancelled after an unsuccessful pilot) and House of the Dragon, which starts shooting imminently. Martin will be listed as a producer on the project but will not be writing or involved day-to-day.

Zelazny was a friend and mentor of Martin's, working with him on the long-running Wild Cards superhero anthology series and on a TV adaptation of Zelazny's "The Last Defender of Camelot" for the rebooted Twilight Zone in the 1980s. Zelazny passed away in 1995.

Roadmarks is about a transdimensional highway that extends through time and space, allowing people to travel to other places and other times. It was created by a race of dragons for reasons that are initially unclear. The novel is notable for its structure, which incorporates a linear story and a non-linear sequence of events that unfold in tandem.

HBO, notoriously, only has a limited slate for developing original projects compared to other streamers and cable networks, but is expanding its development profile with a view to having some projects on HBO and others as originals for HBO Max. It's unclear what category Roadmarks will fall into. This is only a development process, not a formal greenlight at present.